Gronk: Too soon to tell if I’ll be ready for opener

Posted by Josh Alper on April 29, 2014, 3:12 PM EDT

AP

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski spent last offseason answering questions about whether he’d be ready to go for the season opener, so he’s familiar with the line of questioning he’ll be facing for the rest of this offseason.

Gronkowski tore his ACL on December 8, ending a season that started late after the tight end recovered from forearm and back surgeries and starting the clock on several more months of uncertainty about his availability. Based on his response to a question about being ready for the season opener, that clock will continue to tick for some time.

“Oh man. That’s too far away, man. I’m just improving every day right now,” Gronkowski said on WAAF.

Gronkowski is rehabbing in New England while his teammates are going through the offseason workout program and it is going to be a while before there’s any substantive updates on his condition He didn’t have surgery until January because his MCL needed to heal, cutting the recovery time even further for a player who has been banged up a lot over the last two years. Getting Gronkowski back at full strength for 12 games and a potential playoff run would be better than 16 games at a lower register because they’ve missed him in the postseason the last two seasons.

Another great player whose career looks like it will be ruined by injuries. Even as a Jets fan, it’s a shame to see a player of his rare talent have his career derailed like this.

Calling him soft is silly. You can be tougher than a two dollar steak and it’s not going to make your bones, tendons, and ligaments any less apt to break or tear. Anyone here think Jack Lambert wasn’t tough? He had to retire because his turf toe was so bad he couldn’t get his cleats on. Gronk’s had two back surgeries and four forearm surgeries, and there’s a chance he’ll be ready for the opener. That’s not what I’d call soft.

When healthy he’s the best TE in the NFL and there is no close second.

Anyone’s knee would blow out on that cheap shot.

Hope he comes back and has another season like 2011.

cincyalldaway says:Apr 29, 2014 3:55 PM

This dude is too fragile to play in the NFL! He had a promising career ahead of him. It’s a shame he can’t stay healthy or sober for that matter. He’s one drunken, shirtless, night out on the town away from calling it quits. Maybe he should drink more milk instead of booze!

That was not a cheap shot based on rules and sheer mass of this man . It’s a technique taught to DBS to tackle in the open field . Should the hit be illegal , maybe but by no means is it easy tackling a man as powerful and quick as Gronk . Also I’m afraid to say but I think gronks best days are behind him . Every season his injures get worse. . The patriots would be wise to draft Austin Seferian Jenkins . That kid is a freak not just a oversized wr type actual te . Although ASJ foot was messed up he never gets hurt I’ve been watching his games for 3 straight seasons and he’s extremely reliable . His “off field” issues entailed or him trying to drive his passed out friends a mile to their house . And got a DUI . Other than that he’s Been a good local kid whole more of a jemicheal Finley type but can catch everything and isn’t injury prone .

He is slated to do jumping jacks with RGMe at several draft parties to prove his health. He also borrowed RGMe’s “All in for week 1″ TShirts

harrisonhits2 says:Apr 29, 2014 4:34 PM

Did any of you actually see the hits he’s taken ? The one to his knee last year was brutal and there is NO player in the NFL that wouldn’t have had their knee wiped out by that.

As far as his arm, the doctor involved that has now retired has a history of poor success to the point where the Red Sox dropped him previously as team doctor because he sucks. It takes a pretty crappy doctor to screw up a broken arm.

jjackwagon says:Apr 29, 2014 5:12 PM

Just because he is injury prone doesn’t make him a bad player or weak, it just means he gets injured alot. And the amount of injuries he has sustained warrant that label.
Saying he is the best in the league when he is healthy, is like saying McFadden is the best in the league when he is healthy.
It may be true, but neither is ever healthy long enough to prove it.

2011 in football years is a life time ago. Good memories and that is what people will say. He was good back then. Its over now…better draft a qb while your at it when your star player is looking at 40. This division is up for grabs.

thefiesty1 says:Apr 29, 2014 6:38 PM

And for how many games before he is injured AGAIN. Damaged goods. Just retire.

The media is just trying to drum up a story here. The Pats could always put Gronk on the PUP list for the first six weeks of the season. They don’t need him to win the division. In fact, they really don’t need him for most games on their schedule. Having a healthy Gronkowski for the playoffs should be the ultimate goal. Now, if the media would just leave this kid alone….

While Gronk is a very talented player he is often injured. While I wish him a speedy recovery I can’t help but wonder how much longer he can last with the amount and severity of the injuries he has endured. I hope that he doesn’t end up like some other former star football players when he gets older. I remember Earl Campbell (e.g.) as being next to impossible to stop and look at him now. That poor man deserves a better quality of life. He was (and still is to my knowledge) a class act. Just saying that there is life after football and he is a young man.

Enjoy losing the AFC East again to the New England Patriots, Jets fans, Phins fans, Bills Mafia, lol “Mafia” what kind of Mafia get’s whacked like a cheap punk every season?
Meanwhile Gronk, the “you never know if he’s going to get injured or be all good” player, is the key to this Pats offence, it’s one hundred percent better when he’s healthy. Time to draft two te’s. One to replace what Hernandez role was in the O, and someone who can replace the Gronk.

Apparently you two losers weren’t paying attention when Gronk played. He was a human highlight reel because of his exceedingly tough physical play. When he has been on the field and healthy, he was easily the best, making stellar catches, rolling down the field, and breaking tackle after tackle. Graham is talented but not a game changer like Gronk. Part of that is his blocking ability as well as his passing game skills. He’s had some tough breaks and nobody can tell me that what the punk safety in Denver via Cleveland did was ethical. NOBODY. Besides being great, Gronk had a lot of fun, and he never hurt anybody. We all had fun and a few laughs watching him play and act like a young 20 something with money. He was living the life we all want and we lived a little through him. Were he involved in drugs, guns, assault, DUI, etc it would be different, and I hope he is listening. He was simply doing what a young healthy guy does. I hope he gets 110% healthy and confident in his body and returns to play at his usual level. He’s the kind of player that makes the NFL more fun.